The ongoing US-Israel war on Iran<\/a> and the conflict over the critical strait of Hormuz oil shipping route sent diesel prices<\/a> soaring and brought Australia\u2019s reliance on the mostly imported fuel into sharp relief.<\/p>\n In response, conservative politicians have been calling for more oil drilling and more refineries. The Australian government this week announced a $10bn fuel security package including $3.2bn to store a billion more litres of diesel and jet fuel<\/a>.<\/p>\n There has been little talk from political leaders of the other way to lower the country\u2019s risk from future fuel shocks \u2013 powering trucks with electricity.<\/p>\n \u201cUnfortunately what\u2019s happening in Iran is reminding people that hoping for cheaper diesel is not a strategy,\u201d the founder of Chinese electric-truck maker Windrose, Wen Han, says.<\/p>\n Windrose company founder and chief executive, Han Wen. Photograph: Windrose<\/p>\n Han says his company expects to sell \u201chundreds\u201d of its trucks in Australia this year. He\u2019s already sold 10 \u2013 at $450,000 each.<\/p>\n By 2030, Han aims to have sold 100,000 trucks globally \u201cand I expect 20,000 of those to be in Australia,\u201d he says . \u201cWe will be the dominant truck.\u201d<\/p>\n The Mount Ousley test, loaded with metal from the BlueScope steelworks in Port Kembla, was one of several conducted by Windrose while the vehicle awaits final certification for Australian roads.<\/p>\n Han says there has been scepticism from potential customers who \u201cdon\u2019t believe in the performance\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cWe just have to go and prove it,\u201d he says. \u201cThen we see this whiplash from \u2018I don\u2019t believe you\u2019 to, \u2018can I get this truck yesterday?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n The Windrose truck claims a range of almost 700 kilometres (it did the 102km Port Kembla to Sydney run twice on one charge) and Han says it can be recharged from zero to 60% in about 35 minutes. Planned upgrades in the next two years will see the range increased and the charging times fall, he says.<\/p>\n But Windrose is just one of an increasing lineup of heavy duty all-electric trucks competing in the Australian market.<\/p>\n Research from Mov3ment \u2013 an Australian advisory group on fleet electrification \u2013 finds Volvo, Sany, Daimler, Foton and Deepway are all selling in Australia.<\/p>\n Among vans and lighter trucks, the choice is even greater. A Mov3ment report said 332 electric trucks and vans were sold in Australia last year, including 79 heavy duty models \u2013 triple the previous year.<\/p>\n Companies including Ikea, Woolworths, Australia Post, Coles, Coca-Cola and Temple & Webster have all introduced electric trucks, partnering with companies like Linfox, Toll and ANC.<\/p>\n \u2018The potential for the Australian truck fleet is somewhere close to 80% that could be electrified with models that are available in the world today,\u2019 according to the Energy Futures Foundation. Photograph: New Energy Transport<\/p>\n Next week, electric transport company Zenob\u0113 will see the first in a new fleet of 30 trucks on the road in Melbourne and Sydney delivering appliances for Winnings.<\/p>\n The executive director of the Energy Futures Foundation, Bruce Hardy, says despite this flurry of new projects, Australia has \u201cradically fallen behind\u201d.<\/p>\n Greenhouse gas emissions from transport remain stubbornly high and are projected to be the biggest source of emissions<\/a> in Australia by 2030. Heavy vehicles currently make up about a quarter of all transport emissions.<\/p>\n
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We took the KGM Musso, Australia’s first ‘affordable’ electric ute, to Bunnings \u2013 video<\/p>\n